Welcome to Money Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking a cross-section of women how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period – and we're tracking every last penny.
This week: "I’m a 25-year-old operations manager working in the media world. I live in London with my mum and three siblings. I graduated three years ago (LORD) and I’m currently saving to buy a house with my boyfriend of four years, A. I have spreadsheets for everything. Honestly, everything. These are what I use to fund my pre-COVID and (hopefully) post-COVID lifestyle. I received two promotions in quick succession last year and I’m currently working on a third one for the start of 2021 (y’all pray for me). I am a first-generation immigrant so while I was born here, my parents were not, and as the eldest of four children a lot of the financial responsibilities fall on me."
Industry: Media/publications
Age: 25
Location: London
Salary: £40,600
Paycheque amount: £2,392.37
Number of housemates: Four
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Monthly Expenses
Housing costs: £600
Loan payments: £101 student loan, taken from my salary.
Utilities: £0. Mum pays for those, I pay for everything else.
Transportation: £0 (YASSSS TO WFH).
Phone bill: £20 SIM only, I’ve reached that age where new tech is not the goal.
Savings? £17,617. I've luckily been able to save 12k of this in the last 12 months alone.
Other: £4,000 saved for holibobs which were meant to happen this year – Thailand will be seeing me at some point. £83.33 to pension taken by salary sacrifice. £3.99 for Audible, I read a lot. £8.99 for Netflix. £4 for Disney+, my bf pays for the rest. £40 for hot yoga. £11 for Headspace, which I get through work annually. £15 for an Insta workout subscription. £50 to a food bank charity, this hits close to home because my family has had to use this and there is no shame in needing to!
If you are interested in being commissioned (paid) to write your own money diary, please drop us an email with a bit of information about you and your situation to moneydiary@refinery29.uk. Apologies but we aren't able to respond to every email.
Day One
6.40am: Ugh, the Wednesday after a bank holiday. BLEURGH. I wake up, scroll through Insta, like and comment and all that jazz, then find a Body By Ciara workout to do. Today we’re doing Tabata boxing.
8am: After the workout (she’s mad) I jump on to work conversations and put out some fires. One of my reports has called in sick which really f'd up the work schedule. Oh well. Time to shower and get breakfast.
9am: I’ve had my toast, eggs and tea and I’m settling down to put out some more fires. I'm the only manager in my department, which means I’m managing a very large team with no time to spare.
12pm: Snack time. I eat some pineapple and watermelon while trying to hide my wardrobe in the back of my Zoom meeting. Oh the joys of working from home. I scroll through Insta and jump back into another meeting. This one’s about numbers. FUN.
2.35pm: Finally getting some lunch. I’m woefully unprepared and so end up putting some fish in the oven to have with some avocados and sautéed kale. This sounds so boring but it was yum.
5pm: Another snack, this time Cheetos because I’m 5 years old and not 25. I’m flagging but now I’ve probably got another two hours of work minimum: I need to write up some end-of-month reviews and chase some pretty important projects. I decide that because I literally work nonstop (sings Hamilton), I will be treating myself tonight.
7pm: FREEDOM. I go on a quick walk to Co-Op for a re-up on basics. Get some eggs, chocolate Hobnobs and a packet of breakfast bars. £6.25
8.40pm: Finally eating dinner: burger, chips and some avocado and sautéed kale. I know. I know. Just let me enjoy it. I finish dinner and start writing a post for my blog, planning pictures I want to post on Insta and making sure I’m productive outside of work.
10pm: Rant with the boyfriend about technology and how technology just f’ing sucks some times. Get WordPress to be my b*tch finally then decide to treat myself. I blog about books and currently there’s a game of BOOK-O-POLY to help you choose the books you read for the next month. Count me innnn.
10.30pm: I get five prompts. Read a yellow book, read a book with LGBTQ rep (YASSSSSS), read a short book, read a book beginning with P and read a book which is the first in the series. £35.72 later, I’m sorted. I have a pot on Monzo where I add my blog funds every month for this very reason. Ready to add these five books to the 82 I’ve read since the beginning of lockdown. JUST LET ME LIVE OKAY, I DESERVE THEM. £35.72
12am: Bedtime, so tired. I put on my rain sounds via Headspace and pass out.
Total: £41.97
6.40am: Ugh, the Wednesday after a bank holiday. BLEURGH. I wake up, scroll through Insta, like and comment and all that jazz, then find a Body By Ciara workout to do. Today we’re doing Tabata boxing.
8am: After the workout (she’s mad) I jump on to work conversations and put out some fires. One of my reports has called in sick which really f'd up the work schedule. Oh well. Time to shower and get breakfast.
9am: I’ve had my toast, eggs and tea and I’m settling down to put out some more fires. I'm the only manager in my department, which means I’m managing a very large team with no time to spare.
12pm: Snack time. I eat some pineapple and watermelon while trying to hide my wardrobe in the back of my Zoom meeting. Oh the joys of working from home. I scroll through Insta and jump back into another meeting. This one’s about numbers. FUN.
2.35pm: Finally getting some lunch. I’m woefully unprepared and so end up putting some fish in the oven to have with some avocados and sautéed kale. This sounds so boring but it was yum.
5pm: Another snack, this time Cheetos because I’m 5 years old and not 25. I’m flagging but now I’ve probably got another two hours of work minimum: I need to write up some end-of-month reviews and chase some pretty important projects. I decide that because I literally work nonstop (sings Hamilton), I will be treating myself tonight.
7pm: FREEDOM. I go on a quick walk to Co-Op for a re-up on basics. Get some eggs, chocolate Hobnobs and a packet of breakfast bars. £6.25
8.40pm: Finally eating dinner: burger, chips and some avocado and sautéed kale. I know. I know. Just let me enjoy it. I finish dinner and start writing a post for my blog, planning pictures I want to post on Insta and making sure I’m productive outside of work.
10pm: Rant with the boyfriend about technology and how technology just f’ing sucks some times. Get WordPress to be my b*tch finally then decide to treat myself. I blog about books and currently there’s a game of BOOK-O-POLY to help you choose the books you read for the next month. Count me innnn.
10.30pm: I get five prompts. Read a yellow book, read a book with LGBTQ rep (YASSSSSS), read a short book, read a book beginning with P and read a book which is the first in the series. £35.72 later, I’m sorted. I have a pot on Monzo where I add my blog funds every month for this very reason. Ready to add these five books to the 82 I’ve read since the beginning of lockdown. JUST LET ME LIVE OKAY, I DESERVE THEM. £35.72
12am: Bedtime, so tired. I put on my rain sounds via Headspace and pass out.
Total: £41.97
Day Two
7.06am: I need to sleep more, omg. I’m not a coffee drinker so I drink some cold water and get moving. Today’s a rest day so I spend this morning speaking to my bestie, S, about how terrible her HR department is and scrolling Insta.
9am: Where did the time go? I decide to start at 10am today and finally get in the shower and get breakfast. My manager ropes me into a two-hour mega meeting. I hear the dreaded "let me just shareeeee my screen really quicklyyyyy" and decide today is going to be long.
1pm: I finally have a break from meetings and decide to finish my fruit as a snack. Today has been full of car-parked ideas and I predict my 2021 is going to be busier than I am now. I have a quick call with one of my reports because she’s leaving today and has sent me the loveliest email thanking me for supporting her.
2.40pm: My mum is the best, she buys me chips from the local fish and chip shop 'cause she knows I’m stressed. Nah guys. STRESSED. I have grey hairs at the front of my braids that do not look cool.
5pm: Another meeting. I eat a breakfast bar and finish my two litre bottle of water. I’ve just hired new staff for my ever-growing team and actually can’t wait for them to be trained up, they have so much potential. My bestie calls between meetings and finally gets her contract from her HR department. I dissect it for her because I’m THAT friend in our friendship group. I need to start a campaign to make legalese easier to understand. Thank you.
7pm: I’m still working, regretting this 10am start time because I am extremely overwhelmed. My boss is the best though: he’s offered to cover for me and told me to take some time back. We stan a company that lets you claim time back!
8.40pm: I finish work and just lie on my bed in the dark. I’m too young for this bulls*t. Start watching YouTube videos and go onto Insta to catch up. Tea and biscuits for dinner because I literally cannot.
10pm: Call my boyfriend, rant about work and life. Have a little cry because I reread the email that my employee sent me and she’s a babe. HONESTLY. Pass tf out from exhaustion.
Total: £0
7.06am: I need to sleep more, omg. I’m not a coffee drinker so I drink some cold water and get moving. Today’s a rest day so I spend this morning speaking to my bestie, S, about how terrible her HR department is and scrolling Insta.
9am: Where did the time go? I decide to start at 10am today and finally get in the shower and get breakfast. My manager ropes me into a two-hour mega meeting. I hear the dreaded "let me just shareeeee my screen really quicklyyyyy" and decide today is going to be long.
1pm: I finally have a break from meetings and decide to finish my fruit as a snack. Today has been full of car-parked ideas and I predict my 2021 is going to be busier than I am now. I have a quick call with one of my reports because she’s leaving today and has sent me the loveliest email thanking me for supporting her.
2.40pm: My mum is the best, she buys me chips from the local fish and chip shop 'cause she knows I’m stressed. Nah guys. STRESSED. I have grey hairs at the front of my braids that do not look cool.
5pm: Another meeting. I eat a breakfast bar and finish my two litre bottle of water. I’ve just hired new staff for my ever-growing team and actually can’t wait for them to be trained up, they have so much potential. My bestie calls between meetings and finally gets her contract from her HR department. I dissect it for her because I’m THAT friend in our friendship group. I need to start a campaign to make legalese easier to understand. Thank you.
7pm: I’m still working, regretting this 10am start time because I am extremely overwhelmed. My boss is the best though: he’s offered to cover for me and told me to take some time back. We stan a company that lets you claim time back!
8.40pm: I finish work and just lie on my bed in the dark. I’m too young for this bulls*t. Start watching YouTube videos and go onto Insta to catch up. Tea and biscuits for dinner because I literally cannot.
10pm: Call my boyfriend, rant about work and life. Have a little cry because I reread the email that my employee sent me and she’s a babe. HONESTLY. Pass tf out from exhaustion.
Total: £0
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Day Three
7am: I'm up. I scroll mindlessly on Insta for 25 minutes and celebrate the fact that my reel has 300 views. While doing so, I realise I've run out of my Ren Skincare toner so shop around for the best discount. Luckily for me, I remember that Melissa from Melissaswardrobe on Insta has a 20% discount code. I save seven whole pounds. Yasssss. £31.20
7.38am: Realise it's Beyoncé's birthday. That's a bank holiday in my honest opinion so I will be taking it slow today at work (hahahaha she THOUGHT).
8am: Body By Ciara workout at the ready, today we're doing a booty band and skipping workout. She's the best purchase since lockdown tbh. £15 a month for six workouts a week, all different.
9am: A fight for the shower, our boiler has a faulty sensor so keeps switching between hot and cold water. The repair company won't be out 'til Monday so sing my way through a dissatisfying shower (Don Broco reminds me of my emo days).
10am: Ready for work, breakfast in front of me, laptop on and tasks prioritised. I am currently doing the work of four people but I channel my inner Beyoncé and get. Sh*t. Done.
10.40am: Two of my books have arrived! I'm so excited, thank my delivery man profusely and rip that bad boy open. One of the books is the LGBTQ rep prompt, I may or may not hug it close to my chest. Listen, don't judge me.
11.30am: A phone call with bestie, we're discussing her HR department again. No one knows what she'll be paid at her new job come Monday. Someone even took a whopping £7k off the amount she was originally told. The entire company is a mess and if it wasn't because of COVID, I'd tell her to keep applying!
2.15pm: Lunchtime. I completely forgot to have a snack. I'm post-recovery from an eating disorder and need to eat regularly to keep my blood sugar regular so I don't crash and binge on Saturdays. Not many people take BED (binge eating disorder) seriously and that's okay, I had to come to terms with it after 24 years of life and even I struggled. Say no to diet culture kids, I've been on a diet since I was 5 years old. Anyways, fish, avocado and chunky chips it is.
4pm: I'm free! I head to the post office with bestie to do some final bits and bobs, pop to Boots to see if I can get my all-time fave anti-pigment cream. I couldn't. Masks as a requirement is definitely dependent on shops.
6pm: Get some McDonald's fries and a triple cheeseburger (what is this omg). My bestie was feeling faint – she was literally sitting on the pavement trying not to pass out – so get her a cheeseburger too to get her sugar levels up. £6.26
6.35pm: In Primark now, catching up with bestie and trying to find her a cheap outfit for Monday. They haven't told her the dress code yet and there's no point spending money on a proper outfit when you find out you can turn up in jeans. I buy myself some joggers because now I wfh, I live in them. £8
7.30pm: I get home and my sister has made a sprinkle cake, reminds me so much of primary school. I take a slice, get some water and go to my room to lie down and listen to my audiobook.
10.23pm: I finish a call with my boyfriend and search online for the anti-pigment cream. Boots has a discount on the specific item and scoreeee, I can pick it up on Monday for free. I'll probably listen to my audiobook, make my to-do list for tomorrow, then pass tf out. £28.50
Total: £73.96
7am: I'm up. I scroll mindlessly on Insta for 25 minutes and celebrate the fact that my reel has 300 views. While doing so, I realise I've run out of my Ren Skincare toner so shop around for the best discount. Luckily for me, I remember that Melissa from Melissaswardrobe on Insta has a 20% discount code. I save seven whole pounds. Yasssss. £31.20
7.38am: Realise it's Beyoncé's birthday. That's a bank holiday in my honest opinion so I will be taking it slow today at work (hahahaha she THOUGHT).
8am: Body By Ciara workout at the ready, today we're doing a booty band and skipping workout. She's the best purchase since lockdown tbh. £15 a month for six workouts a week, all different.
9am: A fight for the shower, our boiler has a faulty sensor so keeps switching between hot and cold water. The repair company won't be out 'til Monday so sing my way through a dissatisfying shower (Don Broco reminds me of my emo days).
10am: Ready for work, breakfast in front of me, laptop on and tasks prioritised. I am currently doing the work of four people but I channel my inner Beyoncé and get. Sh*t. Done.
10.40am: Two of my books have arrived! I'm so excited, thank my delivery man profusely and rip that bad boy open. One of the books is the LGBTQ rep prompt, I may or may not hug it close to my chest. Listen, don't judge me.
11.30am: A phone call with bestie, we're discussing her HR department again. No one knows what she'll be paid at her new job come Monday. Someone even took a whopping £7k off the amount she was originally told. The entire company is a mess and if it wasn't because of COVID, I'd tell her to keep applying!
2.15pm: Lunchtime. I completely forgot to have a snack. I'm post-recovery from an eating disorder and need to eat regularly to keep my blood sugar regular so I don't crash and binge on Saturdays. Not many people take BED (binge eating disorder) seriously and that's okay, I had to come to terms with it after 24 years of life and even I struggled. Say no to diet culture kids, I've been on a diet since I was 5 years old. Anyways, fish, avocado and chunky chips it is.
4pm: I'm free! I head to the post office with bestie to do some final bits and bobs, pop to Boots to see if I can get my all-time fave anti-pigment cream. I couldn't. Masks as a requirement is definitely dependent on shops.
6pm: Get some McDonald's fries and a triple cheeseburger (what is this omg). My bestie was feeling faint – she was literally sitting on the pavement trying not to pass out – so get her a cheeseburger too to get her sugar levels up. £6.26
6.35pm: In Primark now, catching up with bestie and trying to find her a cheap outfit for Monday. They haven't told her the dress code yet and there's no point spending money on a proper outfit when you find out you can turn up in jeans. I buy myself some joggers because now I wfh, I live in them. £8
7.30pm: I get home and my sister has made a sprinkle cake, reminds me so much of primary school. I take a slice, get some water and go to my room to lie down and listen to my audiobook.
10.23pm: I finish a call with my boyfriend and search online for the anti-pigment cream. Boots has a discount on the specific item and scoreeee, I can pick it up on Monday for free. I'll probably listen to my audiobook, make my to-do list for tomorrow, then pass tf out. £28.50
Total: £73.96
Day Four
7am: Why am I up??? Turn around and go straight back to sleep.
9.30am: Ah. Much better. Open up my windows for some fresh air and go downstairs to put some sausages in the oven for breakfast. Today is Black Pound Day and while I need to do my food shop and pick up my Boots order, I deliberately look into shopping at Black businesses today, especially to support my community. PSA: I'm not saying I don't support other businesses, it's clear I do that every day, but today I'm making the effort to support my local aunty who sells clothing material or has their own jewellery line. If this bothers you, whatever your race, at the end of your day, research all the shops you spent money in and count how much of your money went to POC shop owners. It's shocking, right?
10.40am: Breakfast consumed and I'm a domestic goddess. Laundry on, dishes washed and I'm getting ready to vacuum. I've been on the phone to my bestie for an hour now and we're both motivating each other to get sh*t done. A shower is next and then I'll wash my towels because adulting. We're discussing how we both dealt with the loss of her mum nine years ago. I tell her some things which I withheld from her then, we have a great crying sesh.
12.20pm: Still on the phone to bestie but head to Boots to pick up my order and finally do my food shop. I shop for the week and this week I have three different recipes I'll be cooking for dinner (£31). I've been loving sweetcorn recently so head to Iceland and get myself the frozen bags. While on the bus (£3) I find a Black-owned jewellery shop online and bookmark the pieces I want to buy.
2.40pm: Finally home. Wow, today has been a chore day for sure. I unpack my shopping, pop a frozen pizza into the oven and reminisce with my bestie about what life was like at school when we first met, 13 years ago. She's my sister at this point and I have her back always!
3.30pm: Realise my bestie and I have been on the phone for five hours so we decide to call it a day. We do this a lot – we can go weeks without talking to each other or just sending each other memes and then BAM, weeks of constant catch-ups or hourlong convos. You've caught us at the latter.
5.15pm: Back to reading Cemetery Boys. The audiobook is too slow for me because I'm a fast reader. The speed is at 2x and still, yet, I need faster. Drink some water and enjoy a more relaxed Saturday afternoon.
9.40pm: I'm mid-ordering a gorgeous necklace from the Black-owned business I found earlier when I realise I haven't had any dinner. I eat some apple slices and corn on the cob because I'm not too hungry. Order the necklace and sit down to eat and read. £25.99
10.50pm: I check my work emails before bed (this is not normal I promise) and see that Extinction Rebellion has made the news because they made the news stop, literally halted the delivering of multiple newspapers. It's quite amusing actually.
11.30pm: I finish my book and pray for eight hours of sleep. I have moments of stupidity sometimes, like forgetting to close your water bottle lid and bending over with it still open to pick up a hairband and losing half the bottle's contents. It's really humbling, you should try it sometime.
Total: £59.99
7am: Why am I up??? Turn around and go straight back to sleep.
9.30am: Ah. Much better. Open up my windows for some fresh air and go downstairs to put some sausages in the oven for breakfast. Today is Black Pound Day and while I need to do my food shop and pick up my Boots order, I deliberately look into shopping at Black businesses today, especially to support my community. PSA: I'm not saying I don't support other businesses, it's clear I do that every day, but today I'm making the effort to support my local aunty who sells clothing material or has their own jewellery line. If this bothers you, whatever your race, at the end of your day, research all the shops you spent money in and count how much of your money went to POC shop owners. It's shocking, right?
10.40am: Breakfast consumed and I'm a domestic goddess. Laundry on, dishes washed and I'm getting ready to vacuum. I've been on the phone to my bestie for an hour now and we're both motivating each other to get sh*t done. A shower is next and then I'll wash my towels because adulting. We're discussing how we both dealt with the loss of her mum nine years ago. I tell her some things which I withheld from her then, we have a great crying sesh.
12.20pm: Still on the phone to bestie but head to Boots to pick up my order and finally do my food shop. I shop for the week and this week I have three different recipes I'll be cooking for dinner (£31). I've been loving sweetcorn recently so head to Iceland and get myself the frozen bags. While on the bus (£3) I find a Black-owned jewellery shop online and bookmark the pieces I want to buy.
2.40pm: Finally home. Wow, today has been a chore day for sure. I unpack my shopping, pop a frozen pizza into the oven and reminisce with my bestie about what life was like at school when we first met, 13 years ago. She's my sister at this point and I have her back always!
3.30pm: Realise my bestie and I have been on the phone for five hours so we decide to call it a day. We do this a lot – we can go weeks without talking to each other or just sending each other memes and then BAM, weeks of constant catch-ups or hourlong convos. You've caught us at the latter.
5.15pm: Back to reading Cemetery Boys. The audiobook is too slow for me because I'm a fast reader. The speed is at 2x and still, yet, I need faster. Drink some water and enjoy a more relaxed Saturday afternoon.
9.40pm: I'm mid-ordering a gorgeous necklace from the Black-owned business I found earlier when I realise I haven't had any dinner. I eat some apple slices and corn on the cob because I'm not too hungry. Order the necklace and sit down to eat and read. £25.99
10.50pm: I check my work emails before bed (this is not normal I promise) and see that Extinction Rebellion has made the news because they made the news stop, literally halted the delivering of multiple newspapers. It's quite amusing actually.
11.30pm: I finish my book and pray for eight hours of sleep. I have moments of stupidity sometimes, like forgetting to close your water bottle lid and bending over with it still open to pick up a hairband and losing half the bottle's contents. It's really humbling, you should try it sometime.
Total: £59.99
Day Five
7am: Up naturally again, kinda wanna roll over and go back to sleep, kinda want to see what's on my phone. Phone wins. See three missed calls from my mum from two minutes ago. Pick up quickly as I'm worried and she tells me she's locked out of the house??? I run downstairs and open up the door. I don't even question it anymore, just go back to bed.
7.20am: Can't sleep so decide to read Heartstopper, a graphic novel by Alice Oseman.
9am: Finish the graphic novel and SQUEALLLLLLLL. The main character Charlie is so KEWT. I call my bestie and give her my summary (this is why I now blog my reviews) and decide to finish the last few chores I needed to do. I buy Heartstopper Vol 2. and it costs me nothing because Amazon screwed me out of £85 early last month and gave me £10 credit as an apology. It should be arriving today. Thank you, Prime.
1.23pm: Wake up from my nap and feel amazing. I'm hungry but not too hungry so have some pineapple slices. I put on some rain sounds and start a new book.
6pm: My book arrives and jolts me out of my current read. Wow, today has flown by, I've literally been lost in the book world this entire time. I decide to make my bed and sort out the clean laundry from yesterday.
8pm: Dinnertime and call with A, we're discussing his grandparents and projects we are both working on in our spare time. I express gratitude for an actual relaxing Sunday. So happy to have been able to read, especially after a long week.
11pm: I finish my second graphic novel and commend myself on the fact that I've read three books today. Tomorrow is A and I's fourth anniversary together and usually we go on holibobs somewhere but not this year of course. Instead, I look for online platforms that send great e-cards. We decided two years ago to stop getting ourselves gifts because it does add up, getting each other four gifts a year. My love language is receiving gifts primarily but even I think V-Day, anniversary, Christmas AND birthday is excessive.
Total: £0
7am: Up naturally again, kinda wanna roll over and go back to sleep, kinda want to see what's on my phone. Phone wins. See three missed calls from my mum from two minutes ago. Pick up quickly as I'm worried and she tells me she's locked out of the house??? I run downstairs and open up the door. I don't even question it anymore, just go back to bed.
7.20am: Can't sleep so decide to read Heartstopper, a graphic novel by Alice Oseman.
9am: Finish the graphic novel and SQUEALLLLLLLL. The main character Charlie is so KEWT. I call my bestie and give her my summary (this is why I now blog my reviews) and decide to finish the last few chores I needed to do. I buy Heartstopper Vol 2. and it costs me nothing because Amazon screwed me out of £85 early last month and gave me £10 credit as an apology. It should be arriving today. Thank you, Prime.
1.23pm: Wake up from my nap and feel amazing. I'm hungry but not too hungry so have some pineapple slices. I put on some rain sounds and start a new book.
6pm: My book arrives and jolts me out of my current read. Wow, today has flown by, I've literally been lost in the book world this entire time. I decide to make my bed and sort out the clean laundry from yesterday.
8pm: Dinnertime and call with A, we're discussing his grandparents and projects we are both working on in our spare time. I express gratitude for an actual relaxing Sunday. So happy to have been able to read, especially after a long week.
11pm: I finish my second graphic novel and commend myself on the fact that I've read three books today. Tomorrow is A and I's fourth anniversary together and usually we go on holibobs somewhere but not this year of course. Instead, I look for online platforms that send great e-cards. We decided two years ago to stop getting ourselves gifts because it does add up, getting each other four gifts a year. My love language is receiving gifts primarily but even I think V-Day, anniversary, Christmas AND birthday is excessive.
Total: £0
Day Six
6.40am: Nope.
8am: Okay I actually get up and get ready. I did not have the energy nor minerals to work out. I see a missed call when I get out the shower, which turns out to be the boiler man. He’s 15 minutes away and so I get dressed extremely quickly.
11.30am: My boiler is fixed and I’m heading into my third meeting already this morning. I feel much more relaxed and can start planning how our operations will work around Christmastime. Our work is doing a book club later this month so I get the book on Audible and start listening in between meetings.
2pm: Mad rush but I can now get lunch, I’m pretty busy today but not crazy like last week. I get myself a prawn and bacon pasta and eat it before jumping into another meeting. This time, we’re talking about schedules. FUN.
4.30pm: On my way to a colleague's house to pass on some work equipment and this is the longest Uber of my life. I pop my headphones on and start a new book, which is about gods. Very exciting.
5.35pm: £25 later (charged to my company card of course) and I’m there. I drop off the stuff, catch up with him about life. He’s recently been promoted so we talk about how exciting the next few months will be. I get back in another Uber and call A so we can catch up. Happy anniversary to us!
7pm: I eat dinner – honeyed pork with couscous, sweetcorn and kale – and midway through, realise I never gave my colleague one of the key items I went there for. Goddamn. Text him to tell him I’ll mail it first class tomorrow.
11pm: Write up my book reviews from the weekend and eat a Kinder Bueno finger (do people call it that?). I’m exhausted and promptly fall asleep.
Total: £0
6.40am: Nope.
8am: Okay I actually get up and get ready. I did not have the energy nor minerals to work out. I see a missed call when I get out the shower, which turns out to be the boiler man. He’s 15 minutes away and so I get dressed extremely quickly.
11.30am: My boiler is fixed and I’m heading into my third meeting already this morning. I feel much more relaxed and can start planning how our operations will work around Christmastime. Our work is doing a book club later this month so I get the book on Audible and start listening in between meetings.
2pm: Mad rush but I can now get lunch, I’m pretty busy today but not crazy like last week. I get myself a prawn and bacon pasta and eat it before jumping into another meeting. This time, we’re talking about schedules. FUN.
4.30pm: On my way to a colleague's house to pass on some work equipment and this is the longest Uber of my life. I pop my headphones on and start a new book, which is about gods. Very exciting.
5.35pm: £25 later (charged to my company card of course) and I’m there. I drop off the stuff, catch up with him about life. He’s recently been promoted so we talk about how exciting the next few months will be. I get back in another Uber and call A so we can catch up. Happy anniversary to us!
7pm: I eat dinner – honeyed pork with couscous, sweetcorn and kale – and midway through, realise I never gave my colleague one of the key items I went there for. Goddamn. Text him to tell him I’ll mail it first class tomorrow.
11pm: Write up my book reviews from the weekend and eat a Kinder Bueno finger (do people call it that?). I’m exhausted and promptly fall asleep.
Total: £0
Day Seven
7.45am: Wake up, happy I slept eight hours. Shower with hot boiling water for the first time in ages, thank you BOILER MAN.
9am: Work and brekky. Straight into meetings. I’m having an imposter syndrome day so have to keep reminding myself to talk in my meetings.
11.30am: Get ready for hot yoga, first time in a workout space in months. Get my yoga mat, trainers on, towel and two litres of water because yoga makes you sweat.
12.15pm: Arrive at yoga and see my fave yoga teacher ever, haven’t seen her since February. Being plus-size and loving yoga is hard because there is an image around yoga which I absolutely do not fit. She fits it perfectly but campaigns for inclusivity. She literally breathes "listen to your body, do this if that or just sit in child's pose". She's not teaching as much anymore but I will go to any lesson she has.
1.30pm: Yoga done, I catch up with my yoga teacher (socially distanced with masks of course) before heading home. Decide to stop off and get a post-yoga kombucha (£2.59). There's something about cold kombucha that gets the senses GOING. Buy a stamp (£0.85) to send the missing item from yesterday.
2.30pm: Lunch and back to work, I feel so much more calm and stretched. My hamstring has been playing up since a 12+ hour flight last year. I really needed that class. I make a note to book physio now things are more relaxed and get on that.
4pm: Snack time. Pineapple and watermelon, I actually love fruit. Something about this combo reminds me of being on holiday.
5.30pm: Time for fresh air. Pop my trainers on and head out to my local Co-op. I talk to A while buying some Magic Stars and Pink Lady apples because I'm nearly all out. At the till I see discounted Maltesers buttons. It'd be rude not to! £4.81
7pm: Home finally, have some dinner and decide the buttons will be my dessert. Pop the Magic Stars in the fridge (does anyone else do this?) for another day.
8pm: I'm back to reading sprints for this book, 45 minutes at a time. I kinda just wanna be in another world.
10pm: 150 pages later, I’m ready for bed. Rain sounds on, face cleaned, in PJs. Pass out.
Total: £8.25
7.45am: Wake up, happy I slept eight hours. Shower with hot boiling water for the first time in ages, thank you BOILER MAN.
9am: Work and brekky. Straight into meetings. I’m having an imposter syndrome day so have to keep reminding myself to talk in my meetings.
11.30am: Get ready for hot yoga, first time in a workout space in months. Get my yoga mat, trainers on, towel and two litres of water because yoga makes you sweat.
12.15pm: Arrive at yoga and see my fave yoga teacher ever, haven’t seen her since February. Being plus-size and loving yoga is hard because there is an image around yoga which I absolutely do not fit. She fits it perfectly but campaigns for inclusivity. She literally breathes "listen to your body, do this if that or just sit in child's pose". She's not teaching as much anymore but I will go to any lesson she has.
1.30pm: Yoga done, I catch up with my yoga teacher (socially distanced with masks of course) before heading home. Decide to stop off and get a post-yoga kombucha (£2.59). There's something about cold kombucha that gets the senses GOING. Buy a stamp (£0.85) to send the missing item from yesterday.
2.30pm: Lunch and back to work, I feel so much more calm and stretched. My hamstring has been playing up since a 12+ hour flight last year. I really needed that class. I make a note to book physio now things are more relaxed and get on that.
4pm: Snack time. Pineapple and watermelon, I actually love fruit. Something about this combo reminds me of being on holiday.
5.30pm: Time for fresh air. Pop my trainers on and head out to my local Co-op. I talk to A while buying some Magic Stars and Pink Lady apples because I'm nearly all out. At the till I see discounted Maltesers buttons. It'd be rude not to! £4.81
7pm: Home finally, have some dinner and decide the buttons will be my dessert. Pop the Magic Stars in the fridge (does anyone else do this?) for another day.
8pm: I'm back to reading sprints for this book, 45 minutes at a time. I kinda just wanna be in another world.
10pm: 150 pages later, I’m ready for bed. Rain sounds on, face cleaned, in PJs. Pass out.
Total: £8.25
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The Breakdown
Food/Drink: £50.91
Entertainment: £35.72
Clothes/Beauty: £93.69
Travel: £3
Other: £0.85
Total: £184.17
Conclusion
"I’m actually really impressed with how I did. Everything spent on clothes and beauty is normally a two-month occurrence, you just caught me at the end of the toner/moisturiser month. I have a blog pot, a transport pot, food shop pot, spending money pot and many more so all of this money came from its designated area. I did learn that I spend wayyyyy too much time on Instagram. I feel like it balances out because I have reading days/evenings with no social media but still, waking up and checking social media is becoming too much of a norm. I speak to my bestie and boyfriend so much and I really appreciate it, lockdown with my family has been driving me insane so they have been my saving grace."
Food/Drink: £50.91
Entertainment: £35.72
Clothes/Beauty: £93.69
Travel: £3
Other: £0.85
Total: £184.17
Conclusion
"I’m actually really impressed with how I did. Everything spent on clothes and beauty is normally a two-month occurrence, you just caught me at the end of the toner/moisturiser month. I have a blog pot, a transport pot, food shop pot, spending money pot and many more so all of this money came from its designated area. I did learn that I spend wayyyyy too much time on Instagram. I feel like it balances out because I have reading days/evenings with no social media but still, waking up and checking social media is becoming too much of a norm. I speak to my bestie and boyfriend so much and I really appreciate it, lockdown with my family has been driving me insane so they have been my saving grace."
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